Good engineers help a business grow, and the people you hire can make or break the projects you have planned. So it helps to know what to look for before you start reading CVs.
Here are the things we’d look for, and how to find them during your hiring process.
Look past the degree
Many employers put candidates with degrees at the top of the pile. But plenty of good engineers have no degree at all, and a degree on its own tells you little about how someone works.
Don’t use education alone to filter CVs. Look for the experience and skills that matter to your business: the equipment and systems they know, the problems they’ve solved and the kind of work they’ve done.
Hiring on skills rather than qualifications widens your search. It gives you a better chance of finding the right person.
Think about how they’ll fit in
Skills matter, but so does how someone will settle into your team. Think about how your team works day to day, and what kind of person does well there.
Keep that picture in mind as you read CVs and meet people. It will help you choose between candidates who look equally strong on paper.
Ask what they do outside work
Engineers who take on projects in their own time usually care about their work. Someone who rebuilds engines at weekends or makes things in a home workshop is showing you they enjoy solving problems.
Ask about their interests at interview. If they show real commitment to something outside work, it’s a good sign they’ll bring the same commitment to the job.
See how they work with others
Very few engineers work alone. Whoever you hire will need to work alongside other engineers, operators and managers. They’ll need to share ideas, ask for help and take advice.
One way to see this is to pair a candidate with one of your engineers on a short task as part of the interview. Watch how they talk through the problem, how they listen, and how they respond when someone suggests a different approach.
Look for someone who takes constructive criticism well. That person will learn quickly and help your team improve.
Work with a specialist recruiter
A recruiter who works in one field knows that market well. They speak to engineers every day, so they often know when a good person is thinking about a move.
Building a relationship with a recruiter means you hear about those people early. It also frees up your time for the rest of your work.
We can help
Our consultants only recruit for engineering and manufacturing, so they know what to look for in a candidate. Tell us what you need and we’ll call you back.